'Rocktopia' fuses rock, opera & classical

‘ROCKTOPIA’: Pat Monahan. Photo: Matthew Murphy

ROCKTOPIA: A CLASSICAL REVOLUTION
Performances by various artists
Concept by Rob Evan & Maestro Randall Craig Fleischer
Conducted by Maestro Randall Craig Fleischer
The New York Contemporary Symphony Orchestra with the New York Contemporary Choir
Through April 29, 2018
Broadway Theatre
1681 Broadway
https://rocktopia.com/

By Scott Harrah

Rocktopia is a traveling concert that features covers of old rock songs fused with classical music and opera, with a full live 20-piece orchestra, a choir of 40, a five-piece rock band and splendid vocalists. Immensely popular in both Europe and on the road in the USA, with a broadcast on PBS stations, the show has landed on Broadway for a limited run. While much of the evening is basically like watching an enormously talented cover band performing classic rock oldies, it is nonetheless consistently entertaining. However, although most of the mash-ups are melodic and innovative, not everything works.

The show is inspired by the idea that Beethoven and Mozart would be rock stars if they were alive in the 21st century. Act One starts out with singers Rob Evan (co-creator of Rocktopia) and rocker Tony Vincent fusing Strauss’ “Also sprach Zarathustra” with The Who’s “Baby O’Riley,” followed by Mr. Evan, Chloe Lowery, Kimberly Nichole and Mr. Vincent singing Mozart’s “Eine kleine Nachtmusic” along with Styx’s 1970s standard “Come Sail Away.”

Chloe Lowery, a petite blonde who has performed as a featured vocalist with Trans-Siberian Orchestra, has some of the most powerful pipes of the ensemble. Sounding like a cross between young Mariah Carey and early Whitney Houston, Ms. Lowery’s multi-octave range is full of emotion on Heart’s 1987 power-pop classic “Alone,” blended with Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor,” a perfect combination because the original Ann and Nancy Wilson song also contained a stirring piano introduction.

Pat Monahan of the rock group Train sings Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” blended with Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 7: Allegretto.” Mr. Monahan’s high-tenored voice is a nice match for the vintage rock staple. Beethoven is a great complement for the song, known for its three sections, each increasing in tempo and volume.

Kimberly Nichole is equally impressive on a haunting cover of Patti Smith’s 1977 hit “Because the Night,” along with Tchaikovsky’s “Overture from Romeo and Juliet.” It’s a beautiful pairing, and Ms. Nichole’s rich vocals add the requisite lush texture to Bruce Springsteen’s poetic lyrics about night and desire (though the on-screen projections of adult X-rated cinemas and seedy street scenes are silly and unnecessary).

Along with these many fine numbers, a few fall flat. “The Rise of Spring” by Stravinsky done in tandem with Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze,” sung by Tony Vincent, comes off as a pointless Hendrix impersonation (even though Mr. Vincent does a nice job singing in the Hendrix style). Music director Tony Bruno, who has worked with everyone from Rihanna to Enrique Iglesias, is an awe-inspiring rock guitarist and is in fine form here, but the “rock star” posing and posturing of Mr. Vincent—with his arms around Mr. Bruno and others like someone impersonating Mick Jagger or David Bowie back in the day—on this and other songs is both pretentious and preposterous.

In addition, Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” with “Uprising” by Muse, performed by Mr. Evan, Ms. Lowery, Ms. Nichole and Mr. Vincent, is also less effective than other songs.

One of the show’s major assets is the golden-throated opera soprano Alyson Cambridge. Ms. Cambridge’s beautiful coloratura vocals are soaring in the Act One finale, Puccini’s heartbreaking “Nessun Dorma” paired with Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir,” with grand vocals by Mr. Monahan, Mr. Evan, Ms. Lowery and Mr. Vincent.

Highlights of Act Two include Mr. Monahan and Ms. Nichole singing a duet of Aerosmith’s “Dream On” with Berlioz’s “Symphonie Fantastique.” Reaching the stratospheric octave range of Steven Tyler is no easy task, but the two singers manage to do so here with aplomb.

Chloe Lowery literally brings down the house with a mind-blowing cover of Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is,” backed up by the New York Contemporary Choir. Ms. Lowery belts out every lyric with passion, full of all the emotions of this soulful rock ballad.

Granted, there is a certain “schlock” and “cheesy” factor to doing covers of any songs, particularly Journey’s infectious guilty pleasure “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” coupled with Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9: Ode to Joy.” Regardless, the vocalists here, from Ms. Cambridge and Mr. Evan to Ms. Lowery, Mr. Monahan, Ms. Nichole and Mr. Vincent harmonize so perfectly on this one, and the audience of baby boomers and Generation X members loved reliving their youth on this number at the performance this reviewer attended.

Fans of the late Freddie Mercury may or may not feel that Tony Vincent can match the unparalleled four full octaves of the Queen singer’s inimitable voice (although Mr. Vincent found success on London’s West End in the Queen jukebox musical We Will Rock You, paying tribute to the icon). Mercury’s vibrato was almost operatic, after all, but Mr. Vincent certainly tries to replicate the British rock phenomenon (with the help of Ms. Cambridge, Mr. Evan, Ms. Lowery and Ms. Nichole) in the encore finale of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” with Queen’s signature song “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

In addition to the gifted singers, the New York Contemporary Symphony Orchestra and New York Contemporary Choir are outstanding. Finally, Grammy and Emmy-nominated Irish violinist Máiréad Nesbitt (of Celtic Woman fame) is a sheer delight whenever she is on stage.

Some of the songs, like “Pictures at an Exhibition: Gate of Kiev” by Mussorgsky with “Where the Streets Have No Name” by U2, just seem mismatched as classical and rock mash-ups. Michael Stiller and Austin Switser’s video designs and nonstop projections bring color and visual verve to the concert, even when some of the video choices make little sense.

Rocktopia is not really a Broadway show. It’s also nothing like a traditional rock concert or a classical recital at Carnegie Hall. Whatever it is, it’s certainly unique and that must be why the show has such a following worldwide.

Note: Pat Monahan from Train appears through April 8; Robin Zander from Cheap Trick will perform April 23 to 29, 2018.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published March 27, 2018
Reviewed at March 24, 2018 press preview performance.